Ahsoka's Fate
by KittyCaterpillar
Summary: Ahsoka Tano knows too much. She's in Palpatine/Sidious' way, which doesn't sit well with him. There are consequences to being the Chosen One's Padawan, and Ahsoka becomes familiar with them. Some conversations AU. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1 Troublesome

Note: I DO NOT OWN STAR WARS OR THESE CHARACTERS!!!

Chapter 1—Troublesome

Lord Sidious hadn't been pleased when Anakin had been assigned a Padawan. But even then, he hadn't thought she'd interfere with his plans. She had been young, she should have died in the Clone Wars, but instead, she stubbornly lived! He had sent Master and Padawan on perilous missions, with little hope of survival… And still she lived! To intensify matters, the Padawan saw what even Anakin, and the Council could not see, she saw evil in him. If he left her alive any longer... She might discover who he was; she would undoubtedly tell her Master her suspicions. Anakin had such trust in him… but would it compare to the trust he placed in his Padawan?

No, it wouldn't. To Anakin, Palpatine was counsel, someone he could trust with his growing ambitions. But to Anakin, his Padawan was his head, just like Padme was his heart. The troublesome Padawan sought Anakin's counsel, trusted Anakin with her darkest secrets, and above all else, what Anakin knew but would never acknowledge. If Anakin told her to, if he asked, she would turn on those she most trusted, turn to the person next to her and shoot them, would turn to the Dark Side. Palpatine could offer Anakin the promise of power. But the Padawan had already given him power, and _responsibility_. There-in laid the real issue. Anakin feared the Jedi did not trust him, but Anakin's Padawan was a Jedi that trusted him, not only with her life, but the course of it. In her eyes, her Master could do no wrong.

She complicated things.

It was that simple.

* * *

Palpatine brought a swift smile to his aging features. "Master Yoda! Master Windu! How kind of you to come!" He relished the long suffering look Master Windu barely suppressed, and the skeptical aura Yoda exuded through the Force.

"Our pleasure it is, Supreme Chancellor. Help you how can we?" Yoda started with his cheery inquiry.

"We seem to have a Separatist blockade on a trade route to Laydis." The Supreme Chancellor called up a holo of the world, "An Outer-rim world, its nothing too dangerous, but it needs to be taken care of."

"And you cannot send clone troops to take care of the issue?" Windu almost growled.

"Who will lead them?"

Yoda heaved a sigh, one that spoke of the trials of the war, "A Jedi you seek for this? Fear I do, that have no Jedi free for this task do we have."

Palatine plastered shock on his features, "I'm sorry to hear that." he then furrowed his face into a mask of concern, "But this is not a complicated task, why even a Padawan could—" Palpatine opened his eyes wide, "Well there's a thought!"

Master Windu narrowed his eyes, "What is?"

"Could you not just send a Padawan?"

The Jedi looked uncomfortable, "Who would we even send? Every Padawan I can think of is currently elsewhere…"

Palpatine let a frown slide through, and then he caught it, and morphed it into a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, wasn't Skywalker just recently assigned a mission? Did he, have his Padawan with him?"

Master Yoda tugged his face into a frown, "Take Ahsoka with him, Anakin did not, the task, considered too hazardous for a young Padawan, it was."

"Could you not send her?" Palatine asked, with false hesitancy. "Perhaps the task will give her an opportunity for some independence…" he trailed off. Master Yoda and Master Windu glanced at each other.

"Bring this before the council we will, then, tell you its decision we will." Yoda finished.

"Of course, of course." Palpatine twittered, escorting them to his office's door. "I'm certain you will." As the door slid shut, a smile spread across Palpatine's wrinkled face.


	2. Chapter 2 Dreams

Chapter 2—Dreams

Anakin awoke with a start, _Something is wrong, someone is missing!_ He forced himself to calm down, and then he remembered, his Padawan, Ahsoka, was still at the Jedi Temple. It was so strange, not to have her here. He could sense that the clone's felt her absence too. You didn't spend day in and day out with someone, then not have them there, and _not_ feel their absence. Anakin pressed his eyes shut tight, he needed to rest. The sooner he finished this mission, the sooner he could get back to Coruscant, Padme, and his unruly Padawan. _Who knows what trouble they'll have gotten into while I've been gone? Ahsoka's probably broken every artifact in the temple. Obi-wan has most likely grown senile. And Padme… _That made Anakin pause, _Padme has likely decided to single-handedly end the war!_ With a chuckle, Anakin drifted off to sleep.

"_Count Dooku is it?" Ahsoka wore a toothy grin. "Did you know it's possible to meditate while fighting? In fact, I find it easier than when sitting." Sweat gleaned off his Padawan's orange skin, "And I know why you want me dead."_

"_You do?" The Count looked as if he could barely contain his surprise._

"_I also know who the Sith Lord is." She taunted._

"_Oh?" the Count sneered. He activated his lightsaber, hers was already on. The man took a swipe at her, aiming for her feet, but she blocked it easily._

"_Oh yes." Ahsoka laughed, and, breaking away from their fight for a moment to stop a clone from being shot, she met the Count's next attack. "You want me dead, so that my Master will turn to the Dark Side." She mocked, "But although I have no intention of dying," she swiped at Dooku in a flurry of quick jabs, "I've every confidence that even if I do fall, he won't turn." Count Dooku barely blocked the jabs, and then returned them with well aimed swipes._

"_It's difficult for me to believe you're Skywalker's Padawan." The Count muttered. _

_Ahsoka laughed, and then pouted, _"_Oh, did I guess wrong?" she gave the Count a mock-sad look then leapt away from their fight to again save a trooper from a laser blast._

"_No, on the contrary dear," Dooku swung horizontally at her torso, which she blocked whole-heartedly, "you guessed right, you seem to have much better powers of observation than your predecessor." She aimed her lightsaber for the man's throat; he met her weapon not an inch from its target._

"_Don't you want to hear my other theory?" she smirked, and her eyes glowed with enthusiasm._

"_Ah, yes," Dooku blocked a well aimed swipe at his own torso, "you believe you know who the Sith Lord is." Their lightsabers locked together, and she pressed her face close to the Count's._

_She whispered a muffled and muted word quietly, an almost sad look on her face. The Count looked taken aback, "Don't you want to know how I know?"_

"_So tell me." The Sith Apprentice challenged, Snips shrugged and then smiled sweetly, _

"_I'm surrounded by so many important people, so I am ignored; I see what they do not want me to see." She said it so quietly, so sadly. Her attacks however, were not sad. _

_His Padawan and his enemy fought on, jab, swipe, block, it was a fight to see who would falter first, and that person was Ahsoka. The Count struck at her torso and she was unable to bring down her lightsaber quick enough, his blade cut into her stomach. Her eyes went wide with shock, and as the pain showed on her face, Dooku aimed several cuts on her arms and legs, which Ahsoka couldn't seem to block. His Padawan fell to her knees, her lightsaber fell from limp fingers. The Count summoned her lightsaber to his hand, and crossed the red and green blades at her throat._

"_Its irony Count" at her words the Count seemed to falter, "that you and I have something in common, we're both pawns in a much larger game." Count Dooku took off her head._

"General Skywalker?" Rex wore a concerned look on his face, "You were screaming in your sleep, we felt it best to wake you…" He looked over his shoulder at the rest of the squadron, who appeared to have been woken up by a loud noise. Anakin had a feeling he knew what that was.

"Sorry Rex." Although Anakin said "Rex", the clones knew he was saying, "squadron". Now that they knew General Skywalker was fine, they returned to their sleeping sacks.

They were currently tracking down Ventress through the jungles of Ord'Cestus. Ahsoka had understandably been put out when she hadn't been allowed to come. Anakin understood perfectly well. She and Ventress had a score to settle, several actually.

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Anakin tried to smile reassuringly at Rex, Rex's look told him it wasn't working. Anakin, giving up, grimaced, "I had a vision." He confessed.

Rex nodded, "Mind telling me what about?"

With a sigh, Anakin gritted his teeth and said, "Ahsoka was in it, she was fighting Count Dooku, I really don't remember much, what they were saying, even who won…" Anakin drifted off, "Right before you woke me up though, I felt, I felt her presence in the Force just… vanish." Anakin narrowed his eyes, "Though I can sense her now…" Anakin sprung to his feet, "What time is it on Coruscant?"

"Noon sir."

"Good to know." Anakin started off for his com-link. Sleep was all but forgotten; he had two people on Coruscant to check on.


	3. Chapter 3 The Mission

Chapter 3—The Mission

Ahsoka was understandably nervous, she was positive she had done nothing wrong. Her Master was gone, so she wasn't being briefed about a mission… So why had she been summoned before the Council? The only answer she could come up with was that her Master had been—_No I am not considering that as a possibility!_ She firmly ground down that line of thought. Looking up for the first time since she'd been summoned. She found herself at the Council doors. She pressed her lips into a firm line, and slowly pushed the door open, she wasn't sure why the Council still had manual doors, but they were, as her Master put it, unbelievably stubborn.

Her Master had defined her opinion of the Council in his frustration in dealing with them. So many times it seemed disaster could have been avoided, had the Council only listened to Anakin. They were unreasonable. As she entered the room however, any bad feelings she held for the Council vanished in the awe of their presence. Her Master's strong presence in the Force made her used to the effect of one powerful Jedi, but not so many. Being in the presence of the Council was the one thing that made Ahsoka feel so very young. The Council turned towards her, and it took all her courage not to cower.

"Masters." She bowed respectfully.

"Ahsoka, good to see you it is." Yoda smiled, his words were cheery as ever, but his eyes were sad.

"I hope it is good to see you as well. Though respectfully, due to the circumstances, I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?" Master Windu raised his eyebrows. Ahsoka was surprised Master Windu didn't follow her train of thought.

She shrugged. "My Master is on a perilous mission." Nothing more needed to be said.

"I see." Master Windu said nothing more.

Yoda cleared his throat, "Bad news, this is not. A mission briefing this is."

Yoda carefully watched the face of Anakin's Padawan, surprise drifted over her features.

"My Master is back?" She asked, furrowing her brow, "I didn't feel him in the For—"

"No, your Master has not yet returned." Master Windu cut her off.

"So, you are sending me with a Jedi?"

"No."

Yoda watched realization set in on Ahsoka.

"You're sending me alone."

"Not alone, you will be in command of clones." Master Windu explained.

Ahsoka seemed to be suppressing exasperation. "My apologies Master Windu, I mean, you are sending me with no other Jedi?"

"Yes." Yoda said. It was in these ways Yoda witnessed the difference between Anakin and Ahsoka. Anakin had always been eager, straining forward and chaffing at the restraints in his role as a Padawan. By contrast, Ahsoka, though just eager, had far more care. Where Anakin had craved independence, Ahsoka always wanted to make sure she was ready for another step forward, wanted to know she had solid ground beneath her feet. She didn't want to fall through thin air.

Ahsoka had looked contemplatively to the floor at her left; she then looked at each Council member in turn, as if judging their amount of faith in her. She seemed satisfied with what she saw there. "Thank you." She stated simply.

Yoda nodded to her, "At your quarters, find the information you will, if any questions you have, one of us, find you should."

Ahsoka smiled wearily and nodded.

As the door closed behind Ahsoka, Mace Windu turned to Yoda, "She has many qualities of Skywalker." Mace said simply, but Yoda understood its implication.

"You wonder if done the right thing we have done, by Anakin's Padawan making Ahsoka."

"Yes."

Master Plo Koon looked decidedly troubled by that statement.

"Many Padawan take on the traits of their Masters." Plo defended.

"Many Padawan aren't Padawan to the Chosen One." Mace said pointedly.

"She doesn't seem to like the Council very much." Kit Fisto put in. The truth was, Plo Koon had begun to sense Ahsoka's contempt from the Council as well. She had even begun to distance herself from him! Apparently, her Master's disdain for the Council had carried over to his Padawan.

"Worried you are, that two Anakins we will have!" Yoda laughed with a smirk, "I think, for the Separatists, we should fear."

Ahsoka returned to her quarters in nothing short of a daze. Her quarters weren't large by any standards. Just enough space to hold a bed and a sink. Her room on board the _Resolute_ was really her room. She loved being on missions, she felt at home. With Rex, and the rest of the squadron, they were like her brothers, they were family. It killed her not to be able to be there protecting them, Ventress was only one reason she had for wanting to go on the mission.

_Squawk!!_

Ahsoka leapt out of four layers of her skin. _Oh, wait, that's my long-range comlink._ There was no way she was admitting to anyone how constant battle had made her jumpy. Swallowing her pride, she turned around and activated her comlink. Anakin Skywalker's holo flared to life, in all of his two-inch glory. That thought made Ahsoka snicker inwardly, for all that her Master was the Hero With No Fear, he was just as small as anyone else on a comlink's holo-projector.

"Master!" She grinned. "How is everyone?"

Anakin didn't look like he'd gotten a lot of sleep; it made his eyes look tired and worried. "We're all good." He said, summoning up a weak and weary smile.

Ahsoka wasn't buying it. _Oh, really? Then why do you have bags under your eyes?_

"Master, I've, I've been assigned on a mission, to retake a trade route in the outer rim." Her voice sounded soft and fearful, even to her own ears. She watched her Master's face fill with confusion.

"Who are they sending you with?" Anakin's brow creased in concern.

"That's what I asked. Master, they're putting me in charge." Ahsoka watched her Master's expression. Visibly, she could tell he was proud that the Council felt her ready for the mission. She could see he was upset that the Council hadn't even consulted him, though she knew he wouldn't have been against this. He was worried, fearful even, about the mission. She wondered, "Master what is it?' Ahsoka bit her lip as she waited for a reply.

"It's nothing Ahsoka." His words left no argument, "So, tell me more about your mission?" he smiled proudly.

Ahsoka grinned, "Well, it's nothing huge." She sat down cross-legged on her bed. "I haven't really read the mission parameters yet. I was hoping though, to get some advice… I'm not really certain what goes into prepping for a mission." Ahsoka confessed. She looked up to the holo-image of Anakin. Her Master looked halfway between horror and amusement.

"I never taught you what goes into prepping for a mission?" He spluttered.

"No." Ahsoka shook her head, this was not reassuring…

"That's the most important part!" He cursed under his breath, Ahsoka wasn't sure if she should remind him, that the device he was using was made for battlefields, and picked up on the tiniest whisper.

"It is?" Ahsoka gave her Master a concerned look. He pressed his lips into a concerned line.

"Well, to start with—" he began, sounds of laser fire and shouts poured into the background noise. Just before he shut off the comlink, he seemed to come to a decision, "I'll send Rex back to Coruscant, and maybe the rest of the squadron. The terrain here is getting too dangerous for non-Force-sensitives. I'm sorry I couldn't be there fo—" The comlink went abruptly silent.

Ahsoka allowed herself a small smile, _Rex and the rest of the squadron, I really miss them._ Then she caught herself, Jedi weren't supposed to have personal attachments, so technically, she shouldn't miss the squadron. _But my Master always says that if we can't feel, we can't protect._ She hurried to reassure herself, she was worried, again. She needed someone to talk to.

Often, when her Master wasn't there, Ahsoka found herself talking to Padme, a good friend of Anakin's. She found the Senator's words of advice to be just as true as her Master's, though Padme tended to have a different approach to problem-solving than Anakin. Whereas Ahsoka's Master was often predisposed to solving issues with his lightsaber—or "aggressive negotiations"—and charged right at the dilemma, the Senator had a different tactic. Padme was liable to work with the problem, creating a solution that benefitted everyone. So over time, Ahsoka had learned to go to Anakin with troubles that had to do with brute strength, while for anything concerning tact, or emotions, she sought the Senator's counsel. She had made certain to ask her Master if this was okay with him, and to her surprise, he had readily encouraged this course of action. Thus it was that Ahsoka snatched her cloak off her bed, and headed for her speeder.


	4. Chapter 4 Seeking Council

Chapter 4—Seeking Council

Padme Amidala ground her teeth together, _Ignore him, it's not worth it to be upset over this,_ the Senator couldn't seem to convince herself of this. Yet again she found some delegate or another barging in on her, demanding this and that, these and those. Padme really didn't want to deal with their requests, she was worried for Anakin. He'd

holocom-ed her after a brief bout with several battle droids who had been intent on attacking his camp.

"_Padme, it's so good to see your face, it will be even better to touch your face. When I'm done here—" _He'd teased, then his face has gone blank, _"I don't know how much time I've got before the signal cuts out again…" _ Then, he'd hurriedly enlightened her on Ahsoka's predicament. _"So the Council has decided, in my absence, without even consulting me on whether I'd prepared her enough for this moment, to send my Padawan on a mission, alone."_ Padme had watched her husband's eyes narrow, _"And I would have taught her these things, it's just, I've been too busy trying to teach her the things she needs to know to stay alive."_ He'd sighed deeply, _"I decided to send Rex and squadron to help her, the terrain's becoming too difficult for them to travel anyway."_ Padme's husband had warmly smiled at her, _"If I know Ahsoka, and I do, she will probably stop by to talk with you, I can feel her confusion through the Force."_ Padme had to marvel at that, Anakin and Ahsoka knew each other well, not as strongly as Anakin felt her, but still. It came a close second.

Padme realized she'd let her mind wander, the delegate was looking at her expectantly, oh, what had he been saying? _Ah, well, when in doubt, or at a loss, go for foolproof._

"I'm not certain I understand sir, could you restate that?"

"Gladly Senator, you see…"

After what seemed like far too long, Padme saw the delegate out of her office. No sooner had the man exited the room, did Padme see the familiar form of Anakin's Padawan trying to not look like she was bounding up the hallway.

"Ahsoka!" The Naboo Senator gave a cheery call, "Come on in, I'm finished with my meetings for today." _I hope._

The Togrutan looked relieved, "I don't mean to be a bother…"

"No, not at all!" It would, in all honesty, be a delight to have Ahsoka's company after hours of boring politicians. Padme was a very understanding woman, she would happily listen to others' problems and try to help, but it was when politicians wanted help for their own gain that she despised having to sit through it.

"Well than thank you." Ahsoka sighed in relief. The two entered the Senator's gracious office. Padme pulled up two waiting chairs and offered Ahsoka a seat, which the Padawan graciously took. Ahsoka was at an awkward age for a Togruta. Her lekku had hit a growth spurt, and were now long enough to get caught on things, but the togruta hadn't had them long enough to learn how to compensate for it. For that reason Ahsoka had taken up the habit of constantly trying to flick her lekku over her shoulder. "Senator—" Ahsoka started, but Padme silenced her with a wave of her hand.

"Please Ahsoka, call me Padme."

Ahsoka blinked as she adjusted to the new take on their friendship, then smiled timidly and nodded, _Ahsoka timid?_ Padme wanted to laugh, but refrained. "Um, okay then, Padme, I've been a bit, um" Ahsoka heaved a sigh, "worried that I have too many personal attachments, and attachments to people who will most likely die." The young Togruta's face twisted into a miserable expression. "I consider you a friend—" Ahsoka looked up to see what the Senator's reaction would be, Padme smiled and nodded, "and my Master, Anakin, he's like a father to me, Rex and the squadron are like brothers to me." Ahsoka spread her hands helplessly, "But in all honesty, you're the people who have the greatest risk of dying, Padme, you always go on necessary, but dangerous trips to try and help people. Rex and the squadron grapple for their lives with droids every day, and my Master, despite his belief in his invincibility, is gambling with crazier plans every time I turn around!" Ahsoka slumped forward, "I'm always so worried…" She whispered. "What if one of you gets hurt, or dies?"

Padme was speechless, she wasn't really certain where to begin, she'd often thought about Anakin's daring tactics on more than one occasion, of him getting hurt. Though, it had never occurred to Padme to worry about herself. She hadn't understood what it must be like, for Ahsoka, to be surrounded by so many people who seemed to be so reckless with their lives, and occasionally hers. Padme finally found her voice, "We won't." She firmly stated, "But don't you get hurt" _or die_ "either." _What would that do to Anakin? _Padme pondered. From her conversations with her husband, Padme knew that to Anakin, Ahsoka was like his daughter, he feared for her, it got to the point that he had trouble letting Ahsoka have a Padawan's necessary independence. As, in one of his less guarded moments, Anakin had put it, "I trust her with my life, I just don't trust her with her own." Though, over time, Ahsoka had proven herself to be more than capable, and Anakin and his Padawan had grown comfortable with their roles. There were times when Padme could almost be jealous with how often Ahsoka saw Anakin, but she wasn't, Force, there were even times when she felt sorry for the young Togruta, putting up with "Skyguy"—as she had affectionately dubbed him—almost all the time. Besides, to Padme, Ahsoka was practically a daughter.

"With all of you around, I'd be hard pressed to be able to get hurt." Ahsoka gestured with her hand, Padme knew who, "you" were—Anakin, herself, Rex, Shadow Squadron, the Jedi Order—but Ahsoka wasn't done speaking, "Which is what I'm here about."

"Go on." Padme urged.

"I've been assigned a mission that I am to lead." The Padawan twisted her face into a grimace.

"You don't seem to be thrilled about that." The Senator raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not. I'm not ready for this. The Council knows it, but they have no other Jedi to assign. My Master wasn't even sent on his first mission alone until he was nineteen standard years old! I'm only seventeen standard years. Even if you could compare me to my Master, and I was Knighted at twenty—too early for me—then I'm still at _most_ only half-way through my training." Ahsoka heaved a sigh, "I'm worried that this is a bad sign, advancing Jedi too early. Is the Order really that desperate?"

Padme Amidala took Ahsoka's concerns into consideration, "Well, the Order has lost many Jedi Ahsoka, so perhaps out of necessity, you _are_ being advanced early, but at the same time. I really believe that the Council wouldn't assign you this task unless they felt that you could do this."

Ahsoka's face took on a thoughtful expression, "That's a good point, thank you Padme." She said with a weak, but slightly stronger smile. "I believe those were the words I was looking for. You are very wise." said Ahsoka gracefully and then distractedly bowed, before exiting Padme's office.


	5. Chapter 5 The Plan

Chapter 5—The Plan

Anakin watched as Rex prepared to board the transport that would take the squadron back to Coruscant, just before the Captain turned around to enter the ship, Anakin gripped Rex's shoulder, "Rex," he said quietly, "protect Ahsoka for me?"

The trooper gave the worried General a smile, "With my life sir." Anakin seemed satisfied with that answer, and stepped back from Rex, the Captain then turned to board the transport. Just before the door slid shut, he heard,

"Rex? You be careful too."

Rex stepped off the ship's ramp, and then turned to the rest of his men, "Everyone here?" He asked, he received calm nods in return. When he once again faced the loading dock, he heard a loud,

"Rex!" General Skywalker's Padawan came into view.

"Commander." Rex nodded to Ahsoka, then raised an eyebrow, "From what I understand, you're having some trouble with preparations?" He knew that Ahsoka's rolling eyes must have had to do with the fact that he got right down to business.

"Sheesh, I think you broke your last record, this time I didn't even get in "How was your trip here?"" the Padawan scowled, which soon transformed into a smirk, "But no, I'm not having trouble with preparations, because I haven't started making any. I don't even know where to begin!"

Some time later, Rex, the Squadron and Ahsoka were clustered around a holo-projecting council on the _Fate_, their flagship for this mission, "So," Rex began, "do you, know who's all coming with?"

Ahsoka nodded, "Yeah, us, and one other ship." After getting a skeptical glance at Rex, Ahsoka shrugged, "Laydis a small planet and the blockade isn't too large either. However, the trade route it's blocking is the only way to get to the planet, as there are many star clusters and asteroids there." As she spoke, Ahsoka summoned up holos on what she was referring to.

"So, how many men in total?"

"About fifty, plus me." Ahsoka joked at Rex asking how many "men". Rex smiled briefly, and then turned back to the holo.

"Well, each clone can survive on one nutrition pack a day."

"That's wonderful," Ahsoka quipped sarcastically, "and as much as I appreciate your statistic, I don't want to know what you can _survive_ on." Ahsoka narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, "But how much the average trooper can be comfortable on."

Rex smirked, "Oh, the men are gonna' love you." Ahsoka grinned in return, "In that case, roughly three nutrition packs a day."

The commander nodded, "So, for each day we're there, we'll need a hundred and fifty nutrition packs. How long do you think we'll be there?"

"Depends on how ambitious you are on this." Rex returned.

Ahsoka's face took on a thoughtful expression, "Not that ambitious at all really, I just want to get this done right."


	6. Chapter 6 Complicated

Chapter 6—Complicated

Their relationships didn't run parallel. Sidious could sense that. Anakin and Ahsoka shared a father-daughter, bordering at times on brother-sister relationship. Anakin and Padme shared a husband-wife relationship. And Ahsoka and Padme shared a mother-daughter relationship. But that was where the nice hierarchy ended. Ahsoka and Rex shared a bother-sister relationship, but one in which, Ahsoka was the leader, and Rex was the subordinate.

They were not equals, the same between Ahsoka and the rest of the squadron. Anakin and Rex however, shared a relationship between friends. All these relationships, though, were tangled with their "ifs" and "buts". It was all rather messy, because at the same time that Anakin and Rex were friends, Anakin was also Rex's superior, so their friendship brokered no room for argument. The same was true for Ahsoka and Rex.

And the ages… Rex was physically a decade or more ahead of Ahsoka, but in age he was only fifteen to Ahsoka's seventeen. Anakin and Padme were the closest people Ahsoka had as parents, and Anakin was only six years older than Ahsoka, Padme was eleven years older. Anakin and Padme had an age difference of five years, and Padme was older, more mature than Anakin in so many ways. Rex and Ahsoka had, in the heat of battle, "noticed" one another a bit more than once. Not out of any romantic feelings for one another, but because at fifteen and seventeen, their hormones were raging and out of whack. The war had put everyone in uncomfortable situations. Rex and the squadron had seemed to settle with Ahsoka being their "little sister", even though she was older than them.

Not to mention the fact, that there were times on missions, when the Padawan Ahsoka, one female amidst so many men, had run into uncomfortable situations concerning gender. Yet, even with all these strange oddities to their "family", there was still so much _love_. Of every kind, and Sidious couldn't have that if Anakin were to turn to the Dark Side. _No, Skywalker must feel he has no one to lean on, but me and dear, dear Padme._


	7. Chapter 7 Greetings

Chapter 7—Greetings

Ahsoka was feeling better about her assignment. The squadron, Rex and she had tirelessly gone over everything. Once, Ahsoka had even decided to do the calculations herself, she had been surprised how different her calculations were from that of the droid's! It had turned out that the droid they were using had had some malfunction, so it was a great thing she'd double checked the math. With a confident inhaled breath, she began her meditation.

In the _Fate_'s messhall, Ahsoka shook hands with every clone, greeted and struggled to memorize their names, she was determined to do it, to Sithspawn with their numbers, their names were who they were. The young commander had declined the customary speech that would have been meant to inspire the troopers. Instead, she decided to put herself on an equal level with them. Her conversations and the way she approached each trooper was different, she had decided to just let the Force guide her tactics. Her initial conversations, had started something like this,

"Hello." Ahsoka thrust out her hand, "I'm Ahsoka."

"Uh, wonderful to meet you…" the clone had usually struggled for the appropriate title. Awkward.

Then she'd gotten the hang of it. Now using her title, and her _first_ name, as opposed to her last, to be the show of informality. This had started on her third trooper; the first two troopers had been kind enough not to judge their leader too harshly.

"Hi, it's great to meet you, I'm Commander Ahsoka." Then she put out her hand, the clone trooper then shook it.

"Number A113-7, sir."

"Nice to meet you, your name?" She would patiently ask, the trooper would look confused for a moment, then answer.

"Clockwork." Or something of the like. So like clockwork, Ahsoka met every one of the fifty clones, and by the end of an hour, was feeling very lucky she had a small camera hidden around her neck in the guise of a necklace. She would need it to remember and memorize every name, and the clone they applied to.

After meeting the troopers in the mess hall, Ahsoka excused herself to her quarters with the pretense of "making preparations before we head under way", really, she was reviewing her holovid. In a short manner of time, Ahsoka had created a program that listed the troopers' name and matched it with their picture, judging who was who by what was mentioned in conversations that the holocam overheard. It then compiled a list of who was friends with whom. After the program was done processing, Ahsoka played the vid:

Dasher: two \\ across his right forearm, one on his right shoulder, one on his left, two * diagonally on his torso

Trench: Had "Loyalty" in basic diagonally from his right shoulder to his left hip, and "Republic" from his left shoulder to his right hip

Ricket: had three # on his torso

Torent: had ~ down both arms

Scorch: had jagged lines all down both arms

Racket: multiple * on his armor

Gash: had three /// down his torso

Squint: had a green boot print on his chest—she suspected that hadn't been intentional

Clockwork: had one large * on his torso

The list went on and on, but Ahsoka took the time, and memorized each and every trooper. When she looked at how much time had passed, it had only been a click.

Rubbing her temples in an attempt to calm her raging headache, Ahsoka commed Rex, "Do you know when we're taking off?" she inquired.

"In about another click." Rex replied.

"Nonetheless, I'll be on the bridge soon." Ahsoka laughed, "If I have to memorize one more name, I think my head might burst!"

"Well we can't have that," Rex joked, "General Skywalker would have _my_ head!"

"All right, I'm heading up now." Ahsoka chuckled once she could speak again, humor was few and far between on the battlefield, and the Padawan had learned how to enjoy every second of it.

As the young Commander headed out into the corridor, she spotted two troopers; she could name each of them. "Hello Gash, Squint." She said with a smile and a wave, even though the clones had their helmets on, Ahsoka could still feel their surprise through the Force, _They either didn't expect a young Commander like me to learn their names, or most leaders don't learn the names of the clones they command._ She silently thanked her Master for being such a good leader.

"Commander." Squint returned along with a nod, then hesitantly asked, "Do you know when we'll be taking off?" the clone seemed uncertain of the nature of her answer, as if it were a question he shouldn't dare ask. Ahsoka told herself again that _this_ was why she didn't want to be _that_ kind of Commander, she wanted to be asked questions, even if she didn't know the answer, so that she could find out the answer.

"I was told we were heading out in about a click." She grinned, "I know it's so terrible we have to wait to go to the thrilling system of Laydis." She joked sarcastically. Silence followed. _I suppose other Jedi don't joke with the clones they command…_ with a barely perceptible shake of her head she smiled and said, "It was a joke, Laydis is an extremely boring system."

"Oh." Gash seemed lost for a moment, "Um, then, maybe I'm mistaken sir, but didn't you just say that Laydis is "thrilling", and isn't that the opposite of "boring"?" Ahsoka's jaw almost dropped.

"Yes, I did… when I said that Laydis was "thrilling" that was the joke." Ahsoka hoped they got this; she didn't want to explain sarcasm…

"You mean like sarcasm?" Squint asked, "We learned about that, where you say something, but it means the other?"

"Yup." Ahsoka nodded.

"Uh," Ahsoka felt Gash frown inside his helmet, "please don't take this the wrong way Commander, but isn't saying one thing and meaning another kind of like lying?" Ahsoka's eyes widened.

"Well, to be honest, I've never thought of it that way. But, maybe you're right, however sarcasm is a joke, and in my opinion, there's a difference. But if it helps, I can always clarify when I'm joking, so that you know that my "yes" means "yes" and my "no" means "no"." Ahsoka spread her hands, shrugged, and smiled, "Trust is important, so I want you to know that I don't lie." Through the Force, she could sense that she had made a good impression on the clones.

"We value that as well commander, thank you." Gash nodded, and he and Squint headed on their way. Shaking her head, the young Togruta made her way up to the bridge, where Captain Rex and perhaps half of Shadow Squadron were mulling over dizzying arrays of controls.

"Commander." Rex looked up from the holotable he and Echo were studying, "We're ready for take-off." _Had it really taken a click for her to get up here? Yikes! Time flies!_

"Well then." Ahsoka clapped her hands, "Let's get going than, shall we?"


	8. Chapter 8 Mess Hall Gossip

Chapter 8—Mess Hall Gossip

"I've got a good feeling about our commander." Squint announced to Gash, Clockwork and Dasher in the mess hall.

"Oh? How so?" Dasher raised a thick eyebrow.

"We talked with her out in the corridor." Gash explained for him, "She told us a joke, and answered Squint's question. I have to say; I agree with Squint, I've confidence that she's a good leader." Gash took another bite of—something—then swallowed and continued. "She knew our names, which I'm not going to kid myself—it obviously means that she's memorized all fifty of our names."

"I hear she's General Skywalker's Padawan." Clockwork stated.

"Yah, I heard that too." Dasher chuckled, "If she's _half_ the leader her Master is, we should count ourselves lucky." Every clone knew of the famous General Skywalker, he was well known; even his Padawan was well known, and liked. She had a reputation for seeing every clone as an individual person.

"I think she matches him in some areas." Squint mumbled through a mouth full of food, "Maybe even excels him in some."

"You have that much confidence in a Padawan you talked to for a tenth click in the corridor?" Dasher shook his head, "Unbelievable, you're too trusting."

"She memorized fifty names _and_ what armor they belong to in one click!" Squint defended.

"I hear that Shadow Squadron is here too." Clockwork almost whispered. He had his namesake for a reason, just when an awkward silence was about to ensue, he'd drop in some tidbit of info and start the entire roar of conversation again, you could count on him for it, like clockwork.

"Yah, Shadow Squadron." Dasher shook his head, "You know I heard Shadow Squadron was there to liberate Ryloth."

Gash looked over his shoulder, as if to make certain no one was listening, "I heard that a few members of the squadron and Commander Tano took on Grievous alone and survived, nearly killing that tin head in the process!" Dasher excitedly nodded.

"Yah, I heard that too." He grinned, "Except from the version I heard, they even let Grievous go."

Ahsoka watched the stars go back to being little pinpricks of light in the dark. She took a deep breath. Blocking half of those stars on her view screen was a massive Separatist battle ship. "Oh my." She breathed.

"Commander." Rex turned his head to the side to look at her, "The Seps' are flagging us."

"Respond." Ahsoka surprised herself with the even tone of her voice.

"Yes Commander." Rex answered.

"Oh, and Captain, arm our missiles and bring our proton torpedoes to bear." The Togruta said almost absent mindedly.

"Yes Commander." Rex grinned. Then the holoprojector sprang to life with an old enemy's face.

"Count Dooku." Ahsoka hissed.

"Ah, Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker's little brat, so nice of you to drop by." The Count sneered disdainfully, even through a holo', he still held a thick arrogant air about him.

"That's not what you'll be saying when we win." Ahsoka snarled.

"You look at this the wrong way dear, this isn't about winning or losing to you, it's not even about you. Though you play such an important role in the upcoming months." Count Dooku smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ahsoka's eyes narrowed. But the Count's image had disappeared.

"Sir, we're being boarded." Rex gave a curt report, his voice was even, though his eyes had widened in fear and incredulity.

"What?! How?" The young Padawan desired to know.

"They have us in a tractor beam." Rex shook his head in disbelief.

"Can you break the hold?" Ahsoka whispered.

"No." Rex replied gravely, silence descended onto the bridge. Ahsoka broke it.

"Let's go get'im." She growled. The clones rallied to her cry. She hit the comm. button to command the rest of the crew. "Attention troopers, we're being boarded. Their mistake. Unit 37 I need you to go…" she snapped out directions faster than a blaster fires.

Squint didn't know how the Seps' had boarded the _Fate_—someone could only open the hatches if they had the access codes—and that frightened him. But their commander didn't seem frightened; she was positioning every clone by every hatch the droids were coming through.

It wasn't enough.

The battle droids came through first killing half the clones located at each hatch. Then there weren't sufficient clones to take out the assassin droids. Squint was the second-to last—Gash fell to a blaster wound in the head—the last clone left. As he saw death coming towards him, he knew it was over, he was defenseless. He had long run out of shots in his blaster, and had long run out replacement carbines. With a sigh, he summoned up his comlink to wherever in the ship the Commander may have been.

"Commander Tano, this is Squint" he used his nickname instead of his number, it was faster, "I'm the last member of Unit 20, I'm signing out." Just before he switched off his comlink, he heard,

"I'm sorry Squint." The commander's voice echoed. Then Squint signed out for good.


	9. Chapter 9 Skywalker's Padawan

Chapter 9—Skywalker's Padawan

Count Dooku hadn't had much trouble boarding the ship. Sidious had given him the codes, how the Dark Lord of the Sith had known those codes was not a mystery that the Count needed to dwell on.

He felt no guilt about what he would soon do. Waving his hand he opened yet another door, this one led to the bridge. _It's empty?_ For a moment he was confused, then he realized, _Ahsoka has been taught by Skywalker, the last thing she'll be doing is huddling in the bridge, no, instead she'll be out there defending her troops._ He should have realized that sooner, however. With a sigh he turned and stalked out of the room, his assassin droids followed suit. As he walked down the corridor, he reached out with the Force, trying to locate the Padawan. _There she is._ Just as he'd suspected, she was in the thick of the fight. He could even take his time getting to her; she wasn't going to flee without the clones. _The Jedi have such foolish compassion for clones, it's what gets them killed._ Their progress was slow getting to Skywalker's Padawan. So many clones giving their lives to defend the Republic. But the closer he came to Tano; the more he sensed that the clones weren't giving their lives for the Republic, as much as foolish attempts to save their Commander. _And loyalty kills the Clones, _he mused.

It took him and his assassin droids awhile, but eventually he came to the whirring green blade that was Skywalker's student. She held her blade in a reverse Shien style, he'd never really fought the girl before, or even met her. But she was as the holo had shown, though the holo' hadn't quite managed capture the _life_ that stormed around her. _Perhaps she will be a challenge to kill after all._

"Ahsoka Tano, I presume?" At his words, the battle droids she was fighting turned their focus on the clones, who were already struggling with the droids they were taking care of. The young Togrutan spun around, he had expected fear to color her eyes when she saw him, and he was disappointed to find mirth instead.

"Count Dooku is it?" she gave him a toothy grin. "Did you know it's possible to meditate while fighting? In fact, I find it easier than when sitting." Sweat gleaned off her orange skin, "And I know why you want me dead."

"You do?" Count Dooku could hardly contain his surprise, she _couldn't_ know.

"I also know who the Sith Lord is." She taunted.

"Oh?" the Count supposed she must be bluffing. He activated his lightsaber, hers was already on. He took a swipe at her, aiming for her feet, she blocked it easily.

"Oh yes." She laughed, and, breaking away from their fight for a moment to stop a clone from being shot, she met his next attack. "You want me dead, so that my Master will turn to the Dark Side." She mocked, "But although I have no intention of dying," she swiped at him in a flurry of quick jabs, "I've every confidence that even if I do fall, he won't turn." Count Dooku barely blocked the jabs, and then returned them with well aimed swipes.

"It's difficult for me to believe you're Skywalker's Padawan." He muttered. Tano laughed, and then pouted.

"Oh, did I guess wrong?" she gave him a mock-sad look then leapt away from their fight to again save a trooper from a laser blast.

"No, on the contrary dear," he swung horizontally at her torso, which she blocked whole-heartedly, "you guessed right, you seem to have much better powers of observation than your predecessor." She aimed her lightsaber for his throat; he met her weapon not an inch from its target.

"Don't you want to hear my other theory?" she smirked, and her eyes glowed with enthusiasm.

"Ah, yes," he blocked a well aimed swipe at his own torso, "you believe you know who the Sith Lord is." Their lightsabers locked together, and she pressed her face close to his,

"Chancellor Palpatine." She whispered quietly, an almost sad look on her face. The Count was taken aback, _How does she know this? The _Council_ doesn't even know…_ he challenged her with new vigor. She met his attacks easily, "Aren't you curious about how I know?" she almost purred, _She's fought Ventress a lot, hasn't she?_ The thought crossed his mind, and then just as quickly he dismissed it.

"So tell me." He challenged, the Togrutan shrugged and then smiled sweetly,

"I'm surrounded by so many important people, so I am ignored; I see what they do not want me to see." She said it so quietly, so sadly. Her attacks however, were not sad.

_Why is she telling me this?_ He wondered, and then he realized, _She wants to make herself too much of a hazard to keep around. She isn't certain that if she loses I'll kill her, she doesn't want to be made a bargaining chip. Because that _would_ send Skywalker to the Dark Side. _But by telling him what she had told him, she had sealed her fate.

They fought on, jab, swipe, block, it was a fight to see who would falter first, and that person was Ahsoka. He struck at her torso and she was unable to bring down her lightsaber quick enough, his blade cut into her stomach. Her eyes went wide with shock, and as the pain showed on her face, her aimed several cuts on her arms and legs, which she failed to block. She fell to her knees, her lightsaber fell from her limp fingers. He summoned her lightsaber to his hand, and crossed the red and green blades at her throat.

"Its irony Count" her words made him pause before her struck the final blow, "that you and I have something in common; we're both pawns in a much larger game." Count Dooku took off her head.


	10. Chapter 10 Glimpse

Chapter 10—Glimpse

"I failed her Padme!" Anakin held his head in his hands. He sat on the bed in Padme's apartment, his wife sat beside him.

"You can't blame yourself for this Anakin. It's not your fault." Just as Anakin was about to rant at the top of his lungs on how it _was_ his fault, and how he could have done better, she whispered, "But I miss her, too." That stopped Anakin cold.

_I've been so selfish, in this entire time since I heard of Ahsoka's death, I've only thought of _my_ pain. Not Padme's, she and Ahsoka were close…_ "I'm so sorry Padme." He murmured back. The Chosen One took a deep breath; "I only wish…" he trailed off.

"I know." His wife took a deep breath and laid her head on her spouse's shoulder, "If only this, if only that. But if you're going to blame yourself, then I'm joining in." At first Anakin assumed his wife was talking about blaming him, but then she started, "If only I'd convinced everyone that the War was a bad idea. If only I hadn't moved for a vote of no confidence in Valorum, because then Ahsoka wouldn't have come to the attention of Palpatine, and would never have been assigned to that mission." Padme shut her eyes tight as tears welled in them. "It's not right Anakin, she shouldn't have died. Dooku shouldn't have been there, why was he there Anakin, why?" she heaved a sob. He stroked her fine hair.

"I don't know, but I wish I knew."

Anakin held the blue and red blades at Count Dooku's throat, he could sense the irony the Count felt through the Force. _Was this how Ahsoka died?_ He wondered.

"Kill him Anakin, kill him." The Chancellor urged.

"I shouldn't, it's not the Jedi way." He hesitated, he could almost hear Ahsoka's voice begging him not to, _What would she say if she were here to see this?_ But that only reminded him that she wasn't here to see this, that she was dead, by this man's hand. "It's a pity Count, that you killed the one person who could have saved you." Anakin snarled. As Ahsoka's almost-voice vanished, he took off the Count's head.

Anakin woke, in a cold sweat and shaking, gasping for air. He was in his quarters on the _Resolute_. A small knock on his door that he recognized—through the Force—as his new Padawan brought him back to the present. "You okay Snips?" he asked sitting up and pulling on his robe. He opened the door to see his wide eyed Padawan, whose nightclothes were the exact same thing as her day ones.

"Am I okay?! Am I okay?! What do you mean am I okay?!" she demanded, "I thought you were dead or dying in there!!" she whisper-shouted. "Either you shout in your sleep, or you were just attacked by a bantha!" she stomped her foot angrily.

"I did?" Anakin rubbed his forehead, Ahsoka nodded vigorously. He heard footsteps down the hall—Rex.

"Sir, sorry sir." Rex replied in a crisp shout-whisper.

"What are you sorry for Rex? I'm the one who was shouting." Anakin wrinkled his brow, more than a bit confused.

"I forgot to warn the Commander and give her earplugs sir." The young Jedi knight froze,

"You mean I've done that before?" he questioned.

"Almost every night sir, you can hear it throughout the whole ship sir." Anakin's face turned red.

"Mind if I ask, why I was never told this _before_?"

"Uh, well sir, we didn't think it was necessary to tell you before." Rex shrugged, and Ahsoka giggled.

"Well Master, this should be interesting." Snips giggled again, then smiled, a bit sadly, "Don't worry Master, you couldn't understand anything you said."

"Uh, thanks Ahsoka." Anakin rubbed his forehead, "Now get some sleep, I'll just be meditating."

"Sure Master." Snips skipped away, and Rex followed, as the two got further away, he could hear, "So earplugs huh? Let's go get'im! Or I won't ever get a good night's sleep again…"

It was her words, "Let's go get'im!" that brought the dream flooding back, he'd had it before, starting the night he'd become a knight. He could never remember the name of the Sith Lord, he really only remembered that his Padawan died by Dooku's hand, and that he hadn't been there. But now he remembered something a bit more potent—he remembered why he hadn't wanted a Padawan.


End file.
